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Armando Suarez

Sarah Bankston
Deliverable #3: Facet Analysis
Due: September 29, 2010

Facet Analysis
Incorporation of facets into our jazz collection was not a simple matter, due to the
inherent complexities behind cataloguing music. Subject music headings are complex since they
require a number of different characteristics within each heading and by nature audio items don’t
really have graspable, tactile characteristics. Additionally, our content spans several formats
besides strict audio, including books, posters, instruments, photographs, and films. In choosing
facets, we took particular consideration into the proper identification of the objects/items to be
classified and retrieved, re-examining our previously submitted content sample and delving
deeper into specific items. Furthermore, consideration for the methodology was given regarding
the possible range of users that will utilize the collection. These included external users such as
faculty and students from various educational institutions, scholars, jazz aficionados, musicians,
and the general public. Internal users include archivists and museum professionals. The purpose
behind our facet analysis is to not only create an organized catalogue data for our digitized
collection, but to also generate a standard of categories that are functional in nature, facilitating
the browsing experience for the given user. With this in mind, the structure for the classification
uses simple concepts with logical relationships between the categories, which can then be broken
down into related sub-facets.

List of Facets:

Agents – The classificatory scheme will be flat, capturing a low-level of detail, but enough to
narrow down a search within the collection. Examples of Agents would be photographers,
musicians, artists, directors, and authors. This facet will be helpful for anyone using the
collection, but probably the general public with mild interest would benefit more than someone
doing heavy-duty research. We envision someone using the Agents facets to get started on their
search within the collection; it will have little use once users start drilling down into the
collection.

Geographical Location – The classificatory scheme here will be hierarchical, beginning with
larger categories that can be drilled down even further. Examples of the first level of
Geographical Locations would be countries, such as the United States, France, Brazil, Cuba, and
Finland. Once a country has been selected the sub-facets would be revealed, in this case the
cities of the country chosen. For example, if the United States was selected, the user would then
see New York City, Chicago, Kansas City, and San Francisco displayed at the next level. This
facet will be useful for researchers who are trying to pinpoint a specific geographical region in
relationship to their work. Casual users may also enjoy this feature as a way of identifying
particular jazz movements in relation to geographical region.

Format – The classificatory system here would also be hierarchical, but depending on the
selection there may not be a more detailed level. For example, audio, film, books, and
photographs may all be listed under the Format facet, but if a user selects “photographs” they
won’t be given a more detailed level since there isn’t much variation among photograph formats.
However, if they choose “audio”, they will be given the more detailed choices of LP, CD,
streaming online, etc. Again, this is a facet that will appeal to all users of our collection since it’s
more basic description of the collection that will help them navigate within the collection.

Style/Genre – The classificatory system behind this will be hierarchical. Since our collection
ranges in format, this facet needs to encompass the language of these different formats.
Examples of the Style/Genre facet are cool jazz & bebop (when classifying music); fiction,
poetry & nonfiction (when classifying books); and documentary & live concert (when classifying
film). This is a particularly tricky facet to conceptualize, and it may be that as we continue to
develop our system we will discover a cleaner way to classify this information. At any rate, the
Style/Genre facet will be of particular use to musicologists who are researching particular
subgenres of jazz or for internal users such as exhibit curators trying to cull items from a
particular genre for a show.

Instrument – The classificatory system with Instrument will be hierarchical. This facet will
encompass the type of instruments used in a particular work or by a particular musician. Some
of the top level categories will be brass, percussion, woodwind, and strings, and once selected, a
greater degree of specificity will be displayed. For example, if woodwind is selected, the user
will then be given a choice of clarinet, saxophone, oboe, etc. Even within some of these there
will be another level, such as alto clarinet. While this facet will be appealing to anyone using our
collection, musicians will find this browsing option particularly helpful as they search for pieces
to perform. Furthermore, this facet might aid scholars doing comparative research concerning
the use of a particular instrument within a certain movement of jazz.

Period – The classificatory system behind this facet will use a timeline. Users can select specific
decades or use a slider feature to narrow to specific time periods. This will be helpful for users
who are new to jazz to begin understanding different eras within the genre. Researchers may use
the Period facet to dispute the origins and development of particular subgenres.

Facets as Applied to Our Content Sample

Item: Kind of Blue Miles Davis (LP Album)


 Agent: Musician  Miles Davis
 Geographical Location: United States  New York City
 Format: Audio  LP
 Style/Genre: Audio  Modal Jazz
 Instrument: Brass  Trumpet
 Period: 1950 - 1959

Item: Sketches of Spain Miles Davis (LP Album)

 Agent: Musician  Miles Davis


 Geographical Location: United States  New York City
 Format: Audio  LP
 Style/Genre: Audio  ?(Spanish folk, Flamenco, Blues)
 Instrument: Brass  Trumpet
 Period: 1960 – 1969

Item: Coming Through Slaugher Michael Ondaatje (book)

 Agent: Writer  Michael Ondaatje


 Geographical Location: United States  New Orleans
 Format: Book  Hardcover
 Style/Genre: Book  Historical Fiction
 Instrument: Brass  Cornet (this is what the main character plays)
 Period: 1970 – 1979 (if we choose to go with year published); 1900 – 1909 (if we go with
period depicted in the book)

Item: Round Midnight Bertrand Tavernier(film)

 Agent: Director  Bertrand Tavernier


 Geographical Location: France  Paris
 Format: Film  DVD
 Style/Genre: Film  Drama
 Instrument: Woodwind  Saxophone  Tenor Saxophone (this is what the main
character plays)
 Period: 1980 – 1989 (if we choose to go with year released); 1950 – 1959 (if we go with
period depicted in the film)

Item: Dexter Gordon Herman Leonard (photograph) `

 Agent: Photographer  Herman Leonard


 Geographical Location: United States  New York City
 Format: Photograph Black & White
 Style/Genre: Photograph
 Instrument: Woodwind  Saxophone (this is what the Gordon is playing)
 Period: 1940 – 1949

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